Best of Panama

The Best of Panama (BoP) is the premier annual event for the Panamanian specialty coffee industry, functioning as both a rigorous quality competition and a high-stakes electronic auction. Established in 1996 by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), the event was designed to provide a global platform for local estates to showcase the exceptional quality of their harvests. By subjecting coffee lots to evaluation by panels of national and international experts, the competition has become a primary driver for the continuous improvement of coffee production standards within the country.

The competition is structured around specific categories, most notably the Geisha variety, which is divided into washed and natural processing methods, alongside a category for other varietals. In recent years, the event has seen an influx of international judges from major coffee-consuming markets, including the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Australia. These experts evaluate hundreds of submitted lots, selecting only the highest-scoring coffees to proceed to the final electronic auction, which serves as the commercial culmination of the event.

For farmers, the Best of Panama is a critical vehicle for economic and professional recognition. Winning or placing highly in the competition provides producers with significant prestige and access to a global network of high-end roasters and importers. The auction results frequently shatter global price records for green coffee, reflecting the extreme demand for the unique sensory profiles—often characterized by intense floral and fruit notes—associated with Panamanian Geisha. These record-breaking prices, which have reached thousands of dollars per kilogram, underscore the market's willingness to pay a premium for verified, competition-grade quality.

For roasters and consumers, the Best of Panama acts as a definitive guide to the pinnacle of coffee quality. The transparency of the competition, which publishes detailed scores and rankings, allows buyers to trace the provenance of the world's most expensive and highly rated coffees. The event has been instrumental in popularizing the Geisha variety globally, transforming it from a niche botanical curiosity into the most sought-after coffee in the specialty market.

Technological and processing innovation is a hallmark of the Best of Panama. Producers frequently experiment with advanced drying techniques, such as anaerobic fermentation and controlled-environment processing, to push the boundaries of flavor expression. The success of these experiments is validated by the competition's scoring system, which rewards complexity and clarity. This feedback loop encourages a culture of constant experimentation, where estates like Hacienda La Esmeralda and Lamastus Family Estates consistently set new benchmarks for what is possible in coffee cultivation.

The current state of the Best of Panama is one of sustained growth and record-breaking performance. Recent editions have seen the competition reach new heights in both participation and valuation, with total auction values often exceeding one million dollars. As the global specialty coffee market continues to evolve, the Best of Panama remains a vital institution, not only for the economic health of Panamanian coffee growers but as a primary engine for the global pursuit of coffee excellence.